What we’re about
Welcome! Blacks United in Leading Technology - North Texas is the official, chartered chapter for Washington, D.C. and the DMV area of the dynamic, growing, vibrant Blacks United in Leading Technology International non-profit corporation (https://builtinternational.org/).
Our Chapters are operated under the BUILT Forward brand, and there is no charge to attend. Our dues-paying members, in BUILT International, receive extra benefits - mentors, training scholarships, free job postings, speaking & leadership opportunities, and more.
We educate people and seek to increase the representation of Black women and men in technology. It’s proven, enterprises that embrace diversity yield the most innovative solutions. We’re talking about the whole gamut from developers, scientists, digital media specialists, engineers, web masters, technicians, QA folks, social media strategists, cyber-security analysts, online marketing experts, UI/UX artists, recruiters, bloggers, operations staff, project managers – and many, many more technology professionals, students and educators.
We operate in a united fashion with the hundreds of other nonprofits, corporate resource groups, and diversity professionals with whom we share a common mission. Our BUILT Alliance.
We include all races and ethnicities. Non-technologist supporters are welcome in our community. The doors are wide open for those folks who are simply just passionate about all things technical.
Our events are held in-person and virtually, with a winning mix of top tech presentations, entrepreneurial series, more tech presentations, networking events, social justice messaging, collaborations with other aligned groups, career advancement seminars, more tech presentations, and Member’s Only, Reserved and Private Events.
Join us. Share our knowledge. Provide your viewpoints. Let’s explore together how technology is changing the world. Let’s effect Tech Equity, and help ensure technology is inclusive for all.
Upcoming events
7
•Online2nd Annual DC Metro Black Tech Symposium
OnlineThe 2nd Annual DC Metro Black Tech Symposium highlights the success and possibilities of Black technologists and their allies. This learning, networking, and empowerment event is packed with six keynote presenters, 45 learning sessions, 5 evening 2.5 hour workshops, and multiple virtual “speed-networking” sessions.
Three-day attendance passes range from $47.50 to $57.50 for FULL ACCESS. All tickets support our 501(c)3 nonprofit purpose.
https://bit.ly/DCMII-BTS
Session presentations include:
- Starting and succeeding as a consultant with government contracting
- Interviewing at your best
- Resilient leadership
- Model based system engineering
- Breaking into tech
- Getting your first customer
- Influence strategies for tech leaders
- Building applications with no or low code
- AI: embracing agents, mitigating prejudice and crafting effective prompts
- Threat detection using Splunk
- Upskilling as a project manager
- Why Black voices matter in cybersecurity
- Multiplying your success through mentor advocacy9 attendees
•OnlineBlack Tech Symposium Workshop: Building AI products with Ayo Fashola
Online#### Workshop - Building AI products with no-code tools
Helping product managers and other techies learn how to build product from 0-1 with zero code, through vibe coding and AI no-code tools.
The 2nd Annual DC Metro Black Tech Symposium highlights the success and possibilities of Black technologists and their allies. This learning, networking, and empowerment event is packed with six keynote presenters, 45 learning sessions, 5 evening 2.5 hour workshops, and multiple virtual “speed-networking” sessions.
https://bit.ly/DCMII-BTSThree-day attendance passes range from $47.50 to $57.50 for FULL ACCESS. All tickets support our 501(c)3 nonprofit purpose.
Session presentations include:
- Starting and succeeding as a consultant with government contracting
- Interviewing at your best
- Resilient leadership
- Model based system engineering
- Breaking into tech
- Getting your first customer
- Influence strategies for tech leaders
- Building applications with no or low code
- AI: embracing agents, mitigating prejudice and crafting effective prompts
- Threat detection using Splunk
- Upskilling as a project manager
- Why Black voices matter in cybersecurity
- Multiplying your success through mentor advocacy2 attendees
•OnlineBlack Tech Symposium Workshop: From Curiosity to Capability with Tonya Edmonds
Online#### Workshop - Generative AI in Action: From Curiosity to Capability
- BRING YOUR LAPTOPS TO THIS WORKING SESSION
Generative AI has quickly shifted from buzzword to business essential — but many professionals still struggle to move beyond curiosity into real, impactful use. This interactive workshop bridges that gap by giving attendees the tools, strategies, and confidence to integrate AI into their everyday work.
Drawing from my experience as a corporate leader at Johnson & Johnson and founder of SmartGrowth AI, I’ll guide participants through the fundamentals of generative AI, with a focus on practical, results-driven applications for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and corporate teams.
In this session, attendees will learn:
- How to craft effective prompts to get high-quality, actionable output from AI tools.
- Ways to design simple AI-assisted workflows that save time, reduce errors, and increase productivity.
- How to identify the right AI tools for specific business needs without overcomplicating operations.
This is not a passive lecture — participants will follow along with live demonstrations, practice exercises, and real-world examples that show exactly how to go from “What can AI do?” to “Here’s how I’m using it to achieve measurable results.”
Whether you’re a tech professional, entrepreneur, or corporate leader, you’ll leave with ready-to-use AI templates, a clear implementation framework, and the confidence to start applying AI in ways that immediately move your business or career forward.
Generative AI isn’t the future — it’s the present. This workshop will help you harness it.
____________________The 2nd Annual DC Metro Black Tech Symposium highlights the success and possibilities of Black technologists and their allies. This learning, networking, and empowerment event is packed with six keynote presenters, 45 learning sessions, 5 evening 2.5 hour workshops, and multiple virtual “speed-networking” sessions.
Three-day attendance passes range from $47.50 to $57.50 for FULL ACCESS. All tickets support our 501(c)3 nonprofit purpose.
https://bit.ly/DCMII-BTSSession presentations include:
- Starting and succeeding as a consultant with government contracting
- Interviewing at your best
- Resilient leadership
- Model based system engineering
- Breaking into tech
- Getting your first customer
- Influence strategies for tech leaders
- Building applications with no or low code
- AI: embracing agents, mitigating prejudice and crafting effective prompts
- Threat detection using Splunk
- Upskilling as a project manager
- Why Black voices matter in cybersecurity
- Multiplying your success through mentor advocacy5 attendees
•OnlineBlack Tech Symposium Workshop: Splunk Threat Hunting with Dr. Olatunji Osunji
Online#### Workshop - Identity-Centric Threat Hunting with Splunk: From Data Models to Detection
This workshop introduces participants to implementing Identity Threat Detection & Response (ITDR) using Splunk CIM data models. Through practical ERD mapping, detection queries, and real-world exercises, participants will learn to uncover identity-based threats and build scalable detection workflows.
____________________
The 2nd Annual DC Metro Black Tech Symposium highlights the success and possibilities of Black technologists and their allies. This learning, networking, and empowerment event is packed with six keynote presenters, 45 learning sessions, 5 evening 2.5 hour workshops, and multiple virtual “speed-networking” sessions.
Three-day attendance passes range from $47.50 to $57.50 for FULL ACCESS. All tickets support our 501(c)3 nonprofit purpose.
https://bit.ly/DCMII-BTSSession presentations include:
- Starting and succeeding as a consultant with government contracting
- Interviewing at your best
- Resilient leadership
- Model based system engineering
- Breaking into tech
- Getting your first customer
- Influence strategies for tech leaders
- Building applications with no or low code
- AI: embracing agents, mitigating prejudice and crafting effective prompts
- Threat detection using Splunk
- Upskilling as a project manager
- Why Black voices matter in cybersecurity
- Multiplying your success through mentor advocacy5 attendees
Past events
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